CALL 614.487.1440

Contact Us

Radiation Complete… But Wait, There’s More… Now Featuring Kadcyla

Another update from the land of “we thought we were done with this chapter.”

Radiation is officially done. Sixteen treatments total, not the usual twenty-eight-ish. A small mercy we were grateful for, even if it didn’t feel merciful at the end.

For most of it, Michelle felt surprisingly okay. Minimal fatigue. Skin held up better than expected. We started to believe we might skate through this part without much drama.

And then… the last few sessions happened.

About a week in, her skin went from “a little irritated” to “what appears to be second-degree burns and sun poisoning.” Wearing even the loosest tops felt like a personal attack. For about five days afterward, it was rough. Like, lie very still and don’t let fabric touch your body rough.

The good news: it subsided pretty quickly, her skin is much calmer and the worst of it has passed. Radiation is now firmly in the rearview mirror!

Which would be the moment where we’d normally say, “Okay, on to healing.”

But nope. The universe was not done clearing its throat.

Because of two things — the microscopic lymph node involvement and the fact that the tumor didn’t respond as strongly as hoped to the chemo before surgery — Michelle is now considered high risk.

And that label comes with… bonus content.

She has started another year of chemo. Every three weeks. This one is called Kadcyla. It’s often referred to as “chemo-lite”, which is both comforting and misleading. It is gentler. No cold capping. Fewer immediate side effects at this early stage. But let’s be clear, it still counts. It still shows up. And it still stretches the timeline in a way no one was hoping for. It also pushes part II of her surgery into 2027.

So instead of being done with active treatment earlier this year, we are now playing the long game. Again.

The important thing to say out loud is this: the prognosis is still good overall. That hasn’t changed. This isn’t panic medicine. This is preventative medicine. The goal is to reduce recurrence risk as much as possible. Stack the odds. Do the annoying but smart thing.

And while we’re stacking things, Michelle is also starting a ten-year course of hormone blockers. Ten. Years. Because her cancer is HER2 triple positive, and she is now “high risk” this part is non-negotiable. It comes with a whole grab bag of unsavory side effects that we are just beginning to explore. Think less “mild inconvenience” and more “okay, this will be a lifestyle.”

So yes, radiation is done. That’s a win.

Yes, chemo is back on the calendar. That’s… less fun.

And yes, this journey just got longer again.

Michelle, as usual, is handling it with more grace than seems reasonable. She’s steady. She’s honest about the hard days. And she keeps moving forward, even when “forward” looks suspiciously like more treatment.

We’re still here. All of us. Still walking this with her. Still grateful for the support, the meals, the texts, the dark jokes, and the people who don’t flinch when things get complicated.

You, all of you, are a pure embodiment of my favorite Ram Dass quote:

“We are all just walking each other home.”

Thank you for the companionship.

 

Discover more from Human Form Fitness

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Post a comment

24 thoughts on “Radiation Complete… But Wait, There’s More… Now Featuring Kadcyla”

  8. Pingback: generic stromectol online

  9. betanp

    Hey, just wanted to say I’ve been checking out betanp and it’s looking pretty good so far! Definitely worth a peek. You can find it here: betanp

  12. Pingback: metoprolol bnf

  15. 333985

    Mass comment blasting: $10 for 100k comments. All from unique blog domains, zero duplicates. I will provide a full report and guarantee Ahrefs picks them up. Email mailto:helloboy1979@gmail.com for payment info.If you received this, you know Ive got the skills.

  16. Pingback: lasix medicine price

  21. Pingback: sildenafil pills 200mg

  22. Pingback: doxycycline 20 mg brand name

  23. Pingback: is doxycycline hyclate an antibiotic

  24. Pingback: flagyl antibiotic generic name